Slashdot Mirror
Nintendo's Boss On Western Partnerships, Online
Matt writes "It seems Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has once again spoken out, in a talk to the Japan Economic Foundation, and GameCube Advanced has the highlights. Iwata downplays online gaming, citing the example of a PS2 golf sim which outsold its online counterpart [is this Minna No Golf Online, aka Hot Shots Golf Fore!, versus its prequel?] Also, Iwata speaks about Nintendo working with other non-Japanese companies (saying 'We are now holding negotiations with major Western game developers and will be able to conclude a deal by the end of the year if things go smoothly'), and about takeover speculation regarding Bandai [vague talk of 'a closer relationship'.] In addition, he warned again that the status quo in videogames is in jeopardy... 'We are facing a critical situation, in which the number of game players will decrease unless we change tack', Iwata said."
When will Nintendo learn? ONLINE PLAY MATTERS. It's the only reason x-box has sold a single console. Everyone knows it's games suck outside Halo. It's the online part that's saving the system.
they've always been the loveable underdog-an the also make the ALL the console games with the most amazing story lines.... i can't wait to see what comes of this "closer relationship"
I've heard Iwata-san pontificate on this multiple times. He believes MS and (to a lesser extent) Sony have staked too much on online games without thinking through the costs for consumers. To be honest, I agree... for most games in other genres, other than some clearly community-centric and dynamic examples, such as MMORPGS and virtual communities like Second Life, it's not reasonable for users to pay $50 or so for a game, and then pay a monthly fee to play.
The gaming industry needs to make money. But nickel and diming players, especially the younger set that consitutes the bread and butter still, may cause a backlash and revolt like what is happening now in music, and movies.
-- Samir Gupta, Ph. D. Head, New Technology Research Group, Nintendo Co. Ltd., Kyoto, Japan.
I saw a recent Slashdot poll that showed that most people here either like FPS or RPG games. I guess changing tack would mean more of these, if Nintendo wants to really crack the market better. I would like to see some better RPG games, myself.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
I really hope that their next system does well. I have a Gamecube, and I really like alot of the different interesting games they come up with. Animal Planet and Pikmin were both really fun.
The one thing that makes Nintendo stand out above other companies is innovation, as long as their company continues to find new ways to entertain, as Nintendo often does their products will continue to have their place in the market. As much as people initially criticized it the Nintendo Dual Screen looks great and the touch screen features seem like the step in the right direction towards changing the way we play games. As time goes on the number of new genre's and innovations throughout the industry continues to deteroriate. And it's good to see that Nintendo is continuing with their ideas of new ideas in the industry. Having worked on the media side of the gaming industry for many years and only recently retiring from it due to a lack of interest in games (and the lack of significant income from doing so), I strongly agree that the generation of 20s and 30s gamers that have made the industry grow strong is becoming less and less interested in video games and only by creating new and innovative games, rather than cookie cutter rip-offs and sequels can the video game industry continue to thrive.
As long as Nintendo wants to make games for a younger audience, offline games should be okay. Kids can amuse themselves with
For the gamer who enjoys true competition and high replay value, however, there is no substitute for the online experience. Starcraft, Counterstrike, Doom III, etc., are examples of this. Other types of online games, such as MMORPGs, allow for a dynamic and social feel that no offline game can authentically replicate.
On the other hand, a well-made online game tends to have a huge replay lifespan. Perhaps that is why Nintendo is hestitant to embrace them?
The Gamecube is the worst-performing Nintendo console to date(the Virtual Boy was classified as a portable). It's suffering the same fate as the N64 - superior technology, great 1st party support, dedicated fanbase... combined with dwindling third-party support, a shrinking installed userbase, and fighting a battle on two fronts. Despite bombing in Japan, the Xbox has managed to outsell the Gamecube on a regular basis in Europe and US markets. The PS2, of course, is dominating all. So much so that companies like Namco and Capcom have ported their 'exclusive' gamecube titles (Tales of Symphonia and Viewtiful Joe respectively) to the PS2 in order to hedge their bets (Viewtiful Joe received fantastic reviews from US publications but failed to even crack into
Third party support on the cube is a vicious cycle. Ubisoft ported the 2002 smash hit Spliner Cell to the cube, complete with Nintendo's much-touted (and now ignored) GBA-GC Connectivity feature and cube-exclusive content. Despite being met with commendable reviews, Splinter Cell was outsold by Mario Party 5, a game that most reviewers blasted for being another shallow party game that didn't bring anything new to the table.)
In short, Nintendo's own dedicated fanbase is killing the gamecube.
Casual gamers buy titles from all across the spectrum. Sports titles, platformers, action games.
Dedicated Nintedo fans primarily buy 1st party titles. When developers attempt original titles (Viewtiful Joe), the dedicated fanbase punishes them with low sales. When Nintendo slaps a mascot into a rehash title, they reward them with high sales.
Hardcore gamers are the ones who suffer. People who purchase titles based entirely on the gameplay. The breakout hit of 2003 was Disgaea, a quirky sprite-based strategy title that sold almost entirely on word-of-mouth. Thankfully the PS2's large userbase means hardcore titles have a decent shot. But in the Gamecube's shrinking userbase, hardcore titles are ignored.
It's obvious that Miyamoto has lost it. He's releasing less games and focusing on style over substance. The beautiful Wind Waker was marred with repetitive itemhunting and a lack of dungeons. Now Miyamoto has bowed to fanboy pressure and made a 'realistic' Legend of Zelda. So much for artistic integrity.
Iwata doesn't appear insane in his well-edited interviews, but even he's starting to slip. I probably would too if the company I was managing has been eating it's tail since 1999.
More observant gamers will note that Nintendo has already tried online since the Famicom (term for Japanese ver. of NES) even before the Internet was in common use! Not only that, I'm gonna quote some stats: In Japan, the sales for Final Fantasy XI (online MMORPG) were around 100,000 aka dismal. In Japan. Final Fantasy games have a near-cult following in japan. Nintendo knows Online Play tanks. If you have to pay for online, it's not gonna be popular. And, if XBOX LIVE (EVIL XOBX in reverse) is the only reason XBOX sold a single console, then I guess that the year before XBOX LIVE came out that no one even touched the things. I bought the XBOX since it looked good at the time (although I wanna gamecube now) and played DVDs too.
I know, all of us here in Slashdot, would find it difficult to believe, but the majority of people who buys games, are playing them off-line. Blizzard for example, who sells millions of units per game, has stated repeatly that only a small fraction of it's player base ever goes online with their games. Although that fraction turns out to be a couple of hundred-thousand players, it's still a small portion of the over-all pie.
With the recent series of MMORPG cancellations, like Ultima X: Odyssey, Warhammer Online, Mythica, and several others, it is no secret that companies are re-evaluating what kind of profit an online game can generate. It is not the easy cash cow that developement houses came to believe it to be.
Online play matters, but in more ways than one. Anonymity brings out the latent asshole in far too many people, which can all but ruin a player's experience with any online system that's not completely asshole-proof. I'd rather Nintendo waited on online play until they can perfect it than have them tarnish their image of providing quality, family-friendly games by releasing a half-assed or seriously flawed online system. It's probably true that XBox Live is the biggest attractor the XBox has right now, but I don't think Nintendo wants to be where Microsoft currently is with its XBox. I'm completely happy with Nintendo as a niche player (Apple anyone?), and I think they are too, from the looks of things.
Mike
I don't think there's a problem with the video/PC gaming industry in general, just a problem with Nintendo. Take a look at nintendo.com. Almost everything they're advertising is a reissue of a classic game, either simply ported to Game Boy or with updated graphics (who need a new version of Mario Golf?)
While other systems are releasing innovative new games and developing still fairly new (at least to console) tech like online play, Nintendo's trying to market 20 year old products with slightly updated packaging.
Game Boy is for kids. There is no socially acceptable time and place for adults to play Game Boy. Don't release your nostalgia series for Game Boy! Consoles, on the other hand, are played by children and young adults alike. Make sure there are kid-friendly games with Mario and Donkey Kong, party games for the teens and college students and RPGs and FPSs with online support for the slashdotter 20-somethings, and watch your problems go away.
as long as nintendo continues to market mostly to the kiddy sector I can't seem to convince myself to buy any of their products. For all the games they make a year I can only manage to enjoy a handful, while at the same time other systems like the PS2 and XBOX make a wide range of games where I have more of a choice as to "childish" or "adult". When it comes down to dollars I'd rather spend them on the system I can enjoy more.